TMCF/CDC Public Health Meeting - Ambassador Program

The Thurgood Marshall College Fund and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Student Ambassador Program is designed to increase interest in public health and CDC as a career choice at the public 47 Historically Black Colleges and Universities that are members of the Thurgood Marshall College Fund (TMCF) network. Following training and a shadowing training session at CDC, the Student Ambassadors will actively promote public service and public health at their campuses and in their communities. Student ambassadors are in a unique position to speak to their peers about public service and public health as a means of making a difference.

Student Ambassadors will make their peers aware of the incredible opportunities and benefits of a career as a public health professional and of CDC as an employer of choice. There are exceptional careers for extraordinary people at CDC. Some of the most common public health careers at CDC are for

Behavioral scientists

Biologists and Microbiologists

Emergency Response Specialists

Epidemiologists

Health Education Specialists

Health Informatics Specialists

Health Communication Specialists

Medical Officers

Public Health Advisors and Public Health Analysts

To be eligible to become a Student Ambassadors, a student must be a junior, senior, or graduate student enrolled in a TMCF member-school with a minimum GPA of 3.25. The student must make a minimum of one (1) academic year commitment to acting as a TMCF CDC Ambassador. The student must attend a two-day training session at CDC. Upon returning to their campuses, Student Ambassadors will be expected to commit to approximately five (5) hours per week to lead an outreach effort, including such options as

Creating a network of students and professional contacts,

Writing articles on their experiences at CDC for student and community papers,

Coordinating with student organizations on campus,

Sharing training opportunities at CDC, such as internships and fellowships

Advocating for careers in public health and CDC

Facilitating visits by CDC staff

TMCF and CDC staff will work together with the TMCF CDC Ambassador to host and organize events to bring awareness of Public Health and CDC’s mission to the campus and community. The CDC Ambassador will help CDC understand public HBCUs, build relationships on campus with faculty and student groups. The relationships will widen the pipeline to TMCF member-schools and students for enhanced human capital acquisition. CDC will have the ability to be actively engaged with the TMCF CDC Ambassadors throughout the year through mentoring opportunities, exclusive TMCF conference session and available internships at CDC.